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JAMES HESTER, 0F KNOXVILLE, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 75,758, dated March 24, 1868.

MODE 0P. SEGURING CHECKS, DRAITS, dta, FROM I'R IUD.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JAMIIS I-IESTER, of Knoxville, in the county of Knox, in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Method of Detecting Forged Cheeks, Drafts, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and-exact description of the manner of making and using the same, reference being had, toihe accompanyingspecimens, marked, respectively, No. 1, No'Z, No. and No. 4.

Nature, l

The nature of my invention consists in attaching to checks, drafts, bills of exchange, and suclrlike papers, concealed private marks and instructions, by metallic or other suitable fasteners, so that the private marks-cannot be seen or inspected until the fastenings or seals are properly opened by the payer, and thus affording a sure test ofthc gc'nuineness of'the paper, anda very great protection against the payment of forged or altered checks, drafts, at. p

To apply my invention to and use it with ordinary checks, drafts, &c., I write, print, or otherwise place upon paper or other suitable material the private mark or marks and instructions, and the amount for which the check or draft is drawn, and then fold and attach the same to the check or draft by metallic or other suitable fastenings, similarto example O'on Specimen No.1;

Checks, drafts, dun, maybe prepared expressly for my invention bymaking them with a stub or blank end, as shown by example T on the right end of Specimen No. 2. Upon this blank stub or end of the check the private marks, letter of instruction, amount for which drawn, and the signature, are placed, and the stub is then folded in a triangular shape, and the point insertedthrough the elite e, and secured by metallic or other suitable fastenings,; as shown at S in the above-named specimen and example.

I contemplate that, before being given out for use, the checks, drafts, &c., may be marked by the bank with perforations, notches, lines, he, as shown at a a, b, and d, on Specimen No. 1.

Any fasteniugmay be used which will effectually secure the private marks to the checks or drafts, so as to preventthc liability of their being opened or inspected without the same being noticed by the payer, and any private mark ermarks understood and agreed upon by the drawer and drawce may be used and changed by them at pleasure.

The signature of drawer may be entirely concealed, and not liable to be forged; and the amount of the draft or check, being also concealed, as well as written on the face, is not liable to be altered ,without detection by the payer the moment he opcnsthe private instructions and marks.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method of attaching and using upon checks, drafts, and such like papers, concealed private marks and instructions, substantially as described, and represented by example 0 on Specimen No. 1.

2. The method of making, folding, and fastening concealed private marks, instructions, and'signatnres, upon stubs orblank ends of checks, drafts, &c., substantially in the manner and for the purposes as herein descrlbed, and -as shown by example T S on Specimen No. 2. I

- JAMES HESTER.

Witnesses:

M. D. 000m, L. S BARTLETT- 

